Ever fearing their mother-in-laws, having become slaves to lust, (but) they put on the appearance of true devotees of the Lord; it is indeed like the pot knowing the taste of its contents – milk; how charming and how pretty is the Lord - praised by this Thyagaraja – who bears burden of the Universe! By whom is it possible to describe it?

Variations

1kAma – kAnta

Commentary

2atta mIda kanulu – being slave to lust, and thence to the wife, one does not dare transgress orders of mother-in-law. Therefore, whatever they do, they watch whether it has the approval of their mothers-in-law.

3dutta pAla ruci – Container cannot know the taste of its contents. Tamil siddhar ‘siva vAkkiyar’ has stated same as under -

When read in conjunction with Anupallavi wordings – ‘minds besieged by lust’ (kAma cintAkrAntulu), this would mean that those whose minds are beseiged by lust – but pretend to be true devotees - cannot know the beauty of indwelling Lord. Similar sentiment is expressed in the kRti ‘rAma nIyeDa’ – rAga karaharapriya –

kAmini vESa dhAriki sAdhvI naDatalEmaina telusunA

“Can a person playing the role of a woman know anything about the conduct of a chaste woman?”